Several governorship aspirants under the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Oyo State have demanded justice, transparency and fairness in the party’s preparations for the 2027 governorship election, warning against imposition and money politics as internal consultations intensify within the opposition party.
The aspirants made their position known in a communiqué issued after a meeting held in Abuja on May 8, 2026, amid rising tensions within the Oyo APC over the mode of selecting the party’s governorship candidate.
The communiqué was jointly signed by former Deputy Governor Rauf Olaniyan, Akeem Agbaje, Adewale Kolapo Kareem, Oyedele Hakeem Alao, Musbau Asanike and Ololade Usman Bakare.
The development comes days after some APC leaders in Oyo endorsed Senator Sharafadeen Alli as a consensus governorship candidate for the 2027 election, a move that triggered concerns among other aspirants seeking an open contest.
In the communiqué, the aspirants reaffirmed their loyalty to President Bola Tinubu and his administration, praising the President’s leadership while pledging support for his political agenda beyond 2027.
They, however, stressed that the process leading to the emergence of the APC governorship candidate must be free, transparent and devoid of manipulation.
“The aspirants agreed to work together in the interest of the APC and promised to support whoever emerges as the party’s governorship candidate, provided the process is free, fair, transparent, and without imposition,” the communiqué stated.
While acknowledging that consensus arrangements are recognised within party politics, the aspirants warned that such agreements should not be used as a tool for exclusion or political intimidation.
They also condemned the alleged use of money and inducement to influence internal party decisions, warning that such practices could weaken democratic values within the APC and further divide party members ahead of the election cycle.
Their intervention appears to reflect growing unease among sections of the Oyo APC following recent endorsement moves and consultations involving influential party stakeholders.
Last week, APC leaders in the state publicly endorsed Senator Alli as the party’s consensus governorship candidate after consultations with party leaders and stakeholders.
However, several aspirants, including former Minister of Power Adebayo Adelabu and Senator Abdulfatai Buhari, have openly backed direct primaries and insisted that party members should be allowed to determine the party’s candidate through a transparent process.
The Oyo APC leadership has also indicated that direct primaries may eventually be adopted for the governorship race if consensus efforts fail.
Speaking recently, the Oyo APC chairman, Moses Adeyemo, assured party members that the process would be credible and fair, stating that the party would organise direct primaries in areas where consensus could not be achieved.
In their communiqué, the aspirants reflected on the APC’s defeat in the 2019 and 2023 governorship elections in Oyo State, urging the party leadership to embrace equity, justice and internal democracy to avoid repeating past mistakes.
They argued that only unity, fairness and inclusiveness could position the APC to reclaim power from Governor Seyi Makinde’s Peoples Democratic Party administration in 2027.
The aspirants further insisted that fairness should extend beyond the governorship contest to other elective positions, including the Senate, House of Representatives and the State House of Assembly.
Political observers believe the latest development signals intensifying jostling within the Oyo APC as key figures continue consultations ahead of what is expected to become one of the party’s most competitive governorship races in recent years.
